Spanish man accused of sending letter bombs denied bail over risk of fleeing to Russia

Alleged actions of man, 74, were an attempt to force Spanish authorities ‘to abstain from supporting Ukraine

A 74-year-old Spanish man accused of sending six letter bombs and explosive devices to targets including the Ukrainian and US embassies and the office of the Spanish prime minister last year has been denied bail because of the risk that he could flee to Russia.

Police in northern Spain arrested the man on Wednesday in connection with the devices, the remainder of which were sent to the defence minister, an airbase near Madrid, and a weapons company that manufactures the C90 rocket launchers that have been donated to Ukraine.

After an appearance on Friday at Spain’s highest criminal court, the Audiencia Nacional, the man was remanded in custody after being charged with four counts of terrorism, two counts of aggravated terrorism, and one count of using flammable or incendiary explosive materials to terrorist purposes.

The judge said there was nothing for the moment to suggest that the defendant had belonged to, or collaborated with, any terrorist organisation. But he said the man’s alleged actions – which are said to have been motivated by the war in Ukraine – had been an attempt to “seriously alter the public peace” and to force the Spanish authorities “to abstain from supporting Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression”.

In his ruling, the judge noted that the defendant had visited the website of the Russian state-backed television channel RT, as well as sites devoted to weapons and chemicals.

Bail was denied on the grounds that the man might decide to flee Spain rather than serve a possible 20-year jail term.

The judge said: “The use of Russian instant messaging apps, such as VK, and end-to-end encrypted email – together with the seriousness of his violent actions as a means of propaganda regarding the Russian occupation of Ukraine – could facilitate his flight to Russian territory, where he could receive help from the citizens of that country.”

He said the two counts of aggravated terrorism had been applied because two of the devices alleged to have been sent by the man had been expressly addressed to the prime minister and the defence minister.

The letter bomb sent to the Ukrainian embassy exploded when it was opened by an employee on 30 November, causing minor injuries to the worker’s hands and leading Ukraine to warn its diplomats to bolster their security precautions.

The second, discovered hours later at Instalaza, a weapons company in Zaragoza that manufactures C90 rocket launchers, was deactivated by bomb squad officers.

In the early hours of 1 December, police were called to the European Union satellite centre at the Torrejón de Ardoz airbase after security systems detected suspicious package.

Later the same day, it emerged that a letter containing “pyrotechnic material” and addressed to the prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, had been intercepted on 24 November at Moncloa Palace, his official residence.

Shortly afterwards, the defence ministry said a suspicious package had been detected at 9am, prompting a call to bomb squad officers. It was addressed to the defence minister, Margarita Robles. Another device in a similar envelope was found at the US embassy at 12.30pm on 1 December and “neutralised” by police, according to the interior ministry.